Do you think Patriots players got their underwear bunched up because their head coach said they got outplayed?

C'mon, these dudes get paid millions to compete. If some generic phrase muttered after a 7 GAME LOSING STREAK is going to reveal the soft underbelly of this franchise, they might not have the mental fortitude in the long run to compete against the Bill Belichicks of the world.

If they cut Reed because he sucks, so be it.

But if they cut him because he was a little critical by using a very generic phrase, then this FO is soft as puppy poop.

Exactly. I'm still trying to figure out where the outrage comes from. I didn't even think twice when I heard that.

According to justtxyank at clutchfans, credible insider, the way they handled the reed situation was not pretty and the football operations side along with Kubiak are in serious trouble, according to his source.

Meaning the overall Ed Reed situation - the decision to recruit and sign him from the jump - or just this week's situation?

I really think the Randy Bullock mess is a bigger disaster for this team than Ed Reed. Just my opinion.

Rick Smith gets a lot of hate on this board, but the good thing about him is that he's got no qualms about swinging the axe.

...Since when? Opposite actually. We have no reactionary bone in our body. A kicker directly cost you a do or die game and you try out a few guys and do...nothing. A qb sucks the life out of your team and you never do a f-ing thing until he gets hurt and gives you no choice. We wait and wait on under preforming talent before being forced to make a move. Not afraid to swing the axe my ass...

Somebody had to say it. What do we have to lose this year? Honestly, this is the best thing Ed Reed could do for this team because it helps chip away at Kubiak's sterling image in that organization. This team is going nowhere with this front office and coaching, we need more implosions like this to get the ball rolling to axe these guys. I hope someone like Antonio Smith echoes the same sentiment in the future.

The leadership on this team has consistently shown us a lack of accountability for players' performance, and Kubiak especially has shown a stubbornness to make the appropriate changes to put this team in a better position. I don't care how many times Kubiak says "it's on me", that doesn't help this team win. I want a coach who is willing to pull starters who suck, I want a coach who gets in the player's faces when they mess up, I want a coach who is willing to change his game plan (scripted or otherwise), when it is clearly not working. Find me a coach who demands excellence from his players every single week, because I don't think we have that now, on either side of the ball.

Why?
What team purpose does it serve to say it in the media?

It may satisfy some fans on message boards or on sports talk radio ... may affirm/confirm their speculations ... but what positive team purpose does it serve?

When the owner of the team comes out and basically says they are signing a veteran player to teach the rest of the team mental toughness, are you really believing a pro football franchise is just like Exxon or Walmart or wherever?

"[W]e have the opportunity to bring in someone that can add a dimension to our team that really, really feels a need that we have. It’s not often that we have that opportunity. We’ve talked before about the fact that as we get into the playoffs, we have to have that level of mental toughness that will allow us to handle the increased pressures that are taking places in that point in time. In order to do that, we need to have veteran leadership on the field."
~ Bob McNair

So that whole leadership angle was only valid if he was going to tow the company line?

This is a sinking ship, but they want to act like it's all sunshine and rainbows on Kirby. Give me a break. We've seen this before, and it's just sprinkles on a dog turd. It's not brownie. It's sprinkle covered poo.

I hope Ed comes out and lays it bare now that he's got nothing to lose. This FO needs to be blown up and replaced. Going from a playoff season to 2-7 is pathetic. No more excuses for status quo.

What is mentally tough about airing the team's dirty laundry in the media?

Hmmm. Maybe I wasn't wrong after all. The guy played like a steaming pile of poo here and folks are saying it was because he criticized the coaching? Maybe it was a little of both. Nah. It has to be because he criticized the coaching.

What is mentally tough about airing the team's dirty laundry in the media?

How does that show leadership?

Do you honestly believe the term "outplayed and outcoached" during a 7 game losing streak is "airing the team's dirty laundry"?

It's not like Reed named names or specifically pointed out certain players or coaches. Unless there is an interview or tweet that I have not heard about, this is as generic as it gets.

I've heard the term "outplayed and outcoached" for decades. I would not be surprised if it's a term he used as a Raven at some point in the past decade.

And yeah, it is a form of leadership, and Ed being Ed is exactly who they bought. Just because his leadership is not the style they desire during a historic franchise meltdown doesn't mean that it's not a form of leadership.

__________________"Football is only a diversion." ~ Houston Texans, Inc.

All you have to do is look at how rex ryan is question in new york after a rough game in comparison to the english tea party conference kubiak has with the chron beat writers.

That's what happens when you only have one major newspaper in a major american city.

I miss the Post, it was the better of the two papers IMO.

__________________How much you wanna make a bet I can throw a football over them mountains?... Yeah... Coach woulda put me in fourth quarter, we would've been state champions. No doubt. No doubt in my mind.

Do you honestly believe the term "outplayed and outcoached" during a 7 game losing streak is "airing the team's dirty laundry"?

It's not like Reed named names or specifically pointed out certain players or coaches. Unless there is an interview or tweet that I have not heard about, this is as generic as it gets.

I've heard the term "outplayed and outcoached" for decades. I would not be surprised if it's a term he used as a Raven at some point in the past decade.

And yeah, it is a form of leadership, and Ed being Ed is exactly who they bought. Just because his leadership is not the style they desire during a historic franchise meltdown doesn't mean that it's not a form of leadership.

Agreed.

And also, right before saying that he said that the team played well but in "certain situations we were outplayed and out coached"

It can't be because of that statement. There has to be more to it because that is nothing.

Besides the fact that these guys jobs are nothing like the real world, let's look at other individuāl scenarios.

Practice fights. You have a disagreement in the office so you and a coWorker come to blows. Happens all the time in football.

Your boss reviewing your work and saying you gave a ****ing ****ty effort. Happens all he time in foitball.

You do well at work and your boss slaps your ass. No?

You do a better job than your competition and tell them "you can't ****ing see me bro!!!!" "Get your weak ass outta here".

Do you taunt your competition by saying: "I saw your sister in the stands...I'm going to **** her brains out later...well her or your fine ass mom...haven't decided" ????

The thing is, football isn't like most jobs. It's pretty unique all things considered and most comparisons to regular jobs fall flat.

This isn't the overgrown Mom and Pops businesses of yester year. football is big business and such is being pounded not so gently into a high paid, but just like your job career.

-See current bully case
-See Head trauma law cases
-See access to nearly every aspect of the game
-See players having to play corporate face men in public comments

Owners wanting billions and players wanting millions can't make the sports out to be some semi-secret fraternity, where men have the license to be glorified too old frat boys. Those days are long gone.

The reason some the stories we have are stories is because these guys are being analyzed and expected to behave like normal adults except of course for three hours or so on Sunday. Not even arguing that it is good for the sport so much, just looking at what's happening versus what "ideal" that people sort wax poetic about.

__________________It doesn't just seem like I was talking down to people, I was. (Runner 8/4/09).